Aftermath
by Immortal Spud Thief
Summary: Spoilers for Shadows episode two. Set before the end scene that we all know and love. Harry goes to visit Nikki after the incident in the lab and tries to comfort her.


Nikki gave Harry a wide smile as she opened the front door to him.

"What can I do for you?" she asked him with a smirk and Harry held up the two bottles of wine he had in his hands. "Well in that case you can come in"

Nikki stepped aside and let Harry into her house before closing the door firmly behind him and following her friend into her living room.

"How are you?" Harry asked as he put the two bottles on the table and took off his coat and scarf, draping them over the back of a chair before he walked over to Nikki's cupboards and pulled out two wine glasses.

"I'm fine" Nikki replied quietly as she sat back down on her sofa and shook her head "Really"

"Now why don't I believe you?" Harry enquired with a pointed look as he seated himself next to Nikki and opened one bottle of red wine, pouring generous amounts into both glasses before handing one to Nikki who drank deeply from it.

"Because you seem to know me better than anyone else" she smiled and Harry returned the smile with a small nod before picking his own glass up and sipping it slightly. "You know while I was in the cutting room with him" Harry didn't have to ask who 'he' was "I suddenly realised that if I died in there, if he shot me like he and I thought he was going to do, that there would be no-one to miss me"

"That's not true" Harry replied with a shake of his head "I would miss you, I'd miss teasing you"

"Thanks Harry" Nikki smiled gratefully at him, although her eyes still held a deep sadness as she downed the rest of the wine in her glass and reached for the bottle to fill it up again. Harry watched her intently as she did so and felt a sadness in him when he thought about the fact that Nikki thought no-one would miss her.

"I'd miss you" Harry told her more sincerely and Nikki turned to him and nodded "You're too precious" he muttered under his breath as he turned away to put his wine glass on the table. Nikki however heard what he said and frowned, before shaking her head and running one hand through her damp hair.

"I was so worried about you" she told him after a few minutes of comfortable silence "When you didn't come out, I was worried you'd..." she swallowed a lump that had formed in her throat and shook her head. "Why couldn't I save him Harry?" Nikki whispered tearfully "He was just..he was going to help..he was putting the gun..and then.." she sobbed and turned away from Harry to wipe her face but he sighed and wrapped one arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him and pressing a soft kiss onto the top of her head as she cried. He knew this was coming, Nikki had been through too much for her not to be like this. That was why he had come round to see her, so he could be the one to comfort her and so she didn't have to break down on her own. After a few minutes Nikki's sobs subsided and she moved away from Harry, much to his disappointment, and gave him a watery smile, her eyes red and puffy from crying but Harry couldn't help but think she looked beautiful. He smiled and reached up to gently move some of her curled blonde hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear, his hand lingering on her cheek for longer than necessary. Nikki flushed slightly and looked away, wiping her face again and chuckling.

"I must look a right state" she laughed

"You look beautiful"

It had slipped out of Harry's mouth unintentionally and Nikki turned her head to look at him as he bowed his head and averted his eyes. Nikki swallowed nervously before turning away from him once again and picking at a stray thread on her jumper. Harry however looked up again and in a split second decision, reached up and placed his hand on Nikki's cheek before turning her face to him and pressing his lips to hers in a soft kiss. He heard Nikki gasp slightly so he moved away and looked at her with a confused look on his face, but Nikki then smiled and leant up to kiss him again. Harry was relieved that she hadn't yelled at him and thrown him out, ended their friendship. He couldn't believe his luck. Nikki Alexander was kissing him, willingly. Nikki reached up and placed one hand on his cheek, before moving it to the back of his neck as they kissed softly. She then broke away and Harry pressed a small kiss to the end of her nose before resting his forehead on hers.

"Can we.." Harry paused and licked his lips as he drew away slightly but Nikki kept him close with her hand on the back of his head, not that he wanted to move away and further anyway "Can we do this?" he motioned from him to Nikki and the blonde pathologist nodded and smiled at him.

"I'd love to" she replied and kissed him softly again, neither of them willing to deepen the kiss or go any further just yet. Harry grinned as he moved away and reached up to run one hand through her hair, drinking in her features as he looked her over.

"You really are beautiful" he told her and Nikki blushed violently and looked away, but Harry turned her head to look at him again and pressed his lips to hers "Don't be embarrassed" he told her quietly and Nikki looked at him and nodded. She then lay her head on his chest and snuggled further into him, wrapping one arm around his stomach as Harry pulled her even closer and wrapped his arms around her waist. He then had a better idea and pulled her into his lap, making Nikki giggle and lean up to kiss him. Harry grinned and nuzzled his face into her neck, gently kissing the skin and breathing in her comforting smell.

"Were you scared Harry?" Nikki asked after a few minutes and Harry frowned and stopped running his hand through her hair.

"Of what?"

"When you saw the bomb" she whispered and snuggled into him more, his warm body comforting her. She felt safer than she had ever been in her life.

"I don't know" Harry replied slowly "I think I was more scared of the fact that there were lots of things I hadn't done in my life"

"Like what?"

"Like telling you how I feel about you" Harry admitted and Nikki looked up at him "Nikki I.."

Nikki quickly pressed her lips against his to cut him off and shook her head as she drew away from him.

"Not yet Harry" she told him and he frowned in confusion "I know what you want to tell me and believe me I want to tell you the same thing, but we're not ready to say it yet"

Harry looked her in the eyes and nodded, sighing loudly as he pulled her closer to him again and leant down to press a kiss onto her lips, the kissed softly for a few minutes before Nikki yawned, making Harry chuckle.

"Am I that bad?" he joked and Nikki flushed and yawned again "You'd had a long day, go to bed"

"Will you sleep with me" Nikki asked quietly as she looked down at their entwined hands "Nothing like that, just to sleep. I want to feel safe"

"Of course I will" Harry nodded and nuzzled his face into her neck.

Barely ten minutes later they were both curled up together in Nikki's bed, the duvet wrapped tightly around them and Harry hugging Nikki tightly. She was already asleep, a content smile on her face which to Harry, made her look so innocent and carefree. He leant down and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek before laying down and pulling her closer to him.

'I love you' he thought and buried his face in her hair as he too closed his eyes and slept contentedly.

* * *

**I've already uploaded this on Lj but review anyway yes? I'm such a review whore! :D**

**xxx**


End file.
